Method of moving a device provided with a camera to a desired position by means of a control system, and such a system

• US 7,591,597 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Bos, Dennis Erwin, Pasqualini, Andrea
• Primary Examiner(s): Aurora; Reena
• Application Number:
  US10/561,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20060153426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,919 Days
• Field of Search: 396/428, 396/104, 396/106, 396120-123, 396/65, 359/399, 359/400, 359/401, 348/239, 348/135
• US Class Current: 396/428
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/0812 the monitoring devices being integrated in the mounting machine, e.g. for monitoring components, leads, component placement

Abstract

A method for moving a device (4) provided with a camera (5) to a desired position (10) by means of a control system (7). The camera (5) is connected with the control system (7). Pictures are taken by means of the camera during movement. The number of pictures processed per time unit by means of the control system (7) is increased when the distance between the device (4) and the desired position (10) becomes smaller.

Claims

1. A method of moving a device (4) provided with a camera (5) to a desired position (10) by means of a control system (7), wherein the camera (5) is coupled to the control system (7), the camera processing a number of pictures per time unit, characterized in that during moving said device, pictures of the desired position (10) are taken by means of the camera (5), the number of pictures processed per time unit by means of the control system (7) being increased as a distance between the device (4) and the desired position (10) is smaller.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that as the distance between the device (4) and the desired position (10) is smaller, an area situated around the desired position is reduced in a picture which is analyzed by means of the control system (7).

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the number of pictures processed per time unit by means of the control system (7) is increased step by step.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that by means of the control system (7), a movement of the device (4) observed by means of a sensor is combined with information from the pictures produced by means of the camera (5).

5. A system (1) comprising a device (4) provided with a camera (5), which device can be moved to a desired position (10) by means of a control system (7), wherein the camera (5) is coupled to the control system (7), the camera processing a number of pictures per time unit, characterized in that the control system (7) comprises means (20;

30;

40) far determining a distance between the device (4) and the desired position (10), as well as means (26;

42) for increasing the number of pictures to be processed per time unit.

6. A system (1) as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the device (4) is provided with a sensor by means of which a movement of the device can be recorded.